#WrestleSofia

U20 World Championships day three semis set

Wednesday, August 17, 2022 - 08:01 By Vinay Siwach

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 17) -- The U20 World Championships in Sofia enters day three with women's wrestling. Japan will be looking to win the team title after skipping last year's World Championships in Ufa. However, the USA would like to defend its title.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

13:10: Here are the semifinals for the evening session

50kg
Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) vs. Natalia WALCZAK (POL)
Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) vs. Umi ITO (JPN)

55kg
Albina RILLIA (UKR) vs. MANJU (IND)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) vs. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)

59kg
Madina AMAN (KAZ) vs. Viktoria BORSOS (HUN)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) vs. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) 

68kg
Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) vs. Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER)
Ami ISHII (JPN) vs. Nesrin BAS (TUR) 

76kg
Daniela TKACHUK (POL) vs. Ayano MORO (JPN)
Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) vs. Priya PRIYA (IND)

13:07: The final bout of the morning session saw Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) and Laura GODINO (ITA) at 68kg. Godino was put on the activity clock first but failed to score giving Nurtaeva a 1-0 lead at the break. A takedown for Nurtaeva to begin the second period. But Godino hits a double for two before Nurtaeva scores a reversal and leg laces Godino for a 12-2 win.

13:00: Absolute humdinger of a bout on Mat D. Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) had built a 7-0 lead over Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) but the Ukraine wrestler scored a takedown and used a gut wrench to make it 7-4. Another takedown and fleeing by Prajapat gave Kerymova a 7-7 criteria lead. The Indian shot back with a takedown and then held her lead for the final 25 seconds to win 9-7

12:55: Nesrin BAS (TUR) with a solid win against Patrycja SLOMSKA (POL). She leg laces the Poland wrestler to win 10-0.

12:50: Ami ISHII (JPN) and ARJU (IND) are on Mat B for a place in the 68kg semifinal. Ishii takes just two minutes and 19 seconds to score a 10-0 win. 

12:47: At 50kg,  Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) took some time but once she got the takedown, she leg laced Gabija DILYTE (LTU) for an 11-0 win.

On Mat C, Umi ITO (JPN) and Sevval CAYIR (TUR) are battling it out for a place in the semifinal. Cayir was trying to make it a battle but Ito looks a class apart. She wins 14-4

12:40: The 55kg semifinals are set.

Albina RILLIA (UKR) vs. Manju MANJU (IND)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) vs. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) 

12:27: In 76kg, Tristan KELLY (USA) and Ayano MORO (JPN) are on Mat C. Moro took a 2-0 lead but Kelly answered with a stepout and takedown to lead 3-2. Moro with another attack and gets the fall with an armbar.

12:22: Priya MALIK (IND) and Melisa SARITAC (TUR) are wrestling for a spot in the 76kg semifinals. A stepout for Malik during Saritac's activity period. She leads 2-0. Stepout for Saritac. Double leg for a takedown for Malik to extend her lead to 4-1 at the break. A takedown for Malik but a stepout and exposure for Saritac in the final 10 seconds but Malik will hold on for a 4-4 win.

12:17: Can Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER) go all the way at 68kg? She looks in good form and has secured a 10-0 win over Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL). 

12:10: Albina RILLIA (UKR) holds Tuba DEMIR (TUR) on the mat to secure the fall just in time before the break. Rillia makes it to the 55kg semifinals. 

11:55: U20 European champion Sevval CAYIR (TUR) rolls on to the quarterfinals with a 10-0 win over Karolina MUELLEROVA (CZE). She will face Umi ITO (JPN) next. 

11:38: At 76kg, Ana DOS SANTOS (BRA) is up against Tristan KELLY (USA). The USA wrestler is made to work hard but she has managed to lead 5-0. In the second period, she builds on the lead and wins 9-0

11:34: Japan's senior world team member Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) begins with a fall over Yuliia LESKOVETS (UKR) at 59kg. Japan has brought three of its senior world team members to Sofia.

11:30: Two-time U17 world champion Priya MALIK (IND) with a fall over Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ). She is looking for her first U20 world title.

11:28: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) with a fall over Pei LIAO (TPE) at 55kg. In the same weight class, MANJU (IND) beats Ainur ASHIMOVA (KAZ) 14-2

11:25: Women's wrestling qualification bouts at 55kg. Tuba DEMIR (TUR) and Immacolata DANISE (ITA) put on a show on Mat B. Demir ultimately prevailed 4-2 but the bout was full of scrambles

11:15: Quick update from the repechage rounds. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR) has beaten Nicholas BOUZAKIS (USA) 16-15 at 61kg. The loss hurts the USA's chances of winning the team title.  

11:00: The third day of the U20 World Championships in Sofia. Women's wrestling will see 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg wrestlers on the mat and later in the day we will have freestyle medal bouts.

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds 2025: Forrest wins epic final to hand U.S. team title

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - 00:40 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 27) — For a second time this year, the United States and Iran were involved in a thrilling team title race in Freestyle at a World Championships with the U.S. eventually winning the title.

After being tied at 102 points each at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, the U.S. needed one win and Iran needed to win all three bouts on the final day of the competition.

The U.S. sealed the team title as soon as Jaxen FORREST (USA) won the 61kg final, giving his country an unassailable lead of 137 points over Iran, which finished second with 127 points. Japan was third with 85 points.

With the team title, U.S. won the top spot in Freestyle in all age-group World Championships while Iran won the title in senior Worlds.

Three gold medals already in pocket, the U.S. won a fourth one on Monday through Forrest who had an unforgettable bout against Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ).

Both teenagers, U20 world bronze medalist Forrest and U17 world champion Asan Uulu put on a match that will be remembered for ages. Both wrestlers settled in, Forrest came up with an over-underhook for four but Asan Uulu soon fired back with two takedown to make it 4-4. After a back-and-forth scramble, Asan Uulu managed to score a push out for a 5-4 lead.

But Forrest took a big lead when he threw Asan Uulu from quad pod position for four points. Kyrgyzstan’s lost challenge added one more point to make it 9-5.

Jaxen FORREST (USA)Jaxen FORREST (USA) scores a takedown against Umurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The two were not done yet. As soon as the second period began, Asan Uulu scored a stepout, Forrest got a takedown to make it 11-6. Asan Uulu managed to get a takedown and score via exposure. He took a 12-11 lead with a takedown on edge with 1:30 left.

There was more left in the match as Forrest got on a low single to get a takedown and as the wrestlers returned to standing, he threw Asan Uulu for a big four, the third of the match to make it 17-12. He was happy to give one takedown to Asan Uulu in the final 10 seconds and win the gold medal 17-14, in what was perhaps the match of the year.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) scores the match-winning takedown against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 65kg, SUJEET (IND) upgraded his bronze from last year to gold this year after he blanked world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the final, his third 10-0 technical superiority over Jalolov this year.

Sujeet began like favorite underhook and snapdowns and Jalolov was put on the clock. Sujeet scored a takedown during that period to lead 3-0 before a stepout made it 4-0, a lead which Sujeet carried into the break.

The second period was no different as Sujeet did not let Jalolov settle down. He scored using a counter takedown to lead 6-0 with 1:52 remaining. Jalolov tried to hit a far reaching leg attack but Sujeet throws thew himself backward before scoring a takedown. A double leg takedown to make it 10-0 with 1:06 remaining.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) celebrates after beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan went past Turkiye in the team race by one point, all thanks to Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) winning the gold medal at 97kg by beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2, in the final.

For a split second Suleimaniashvili was about to pin Yoshida but apart from that, Yoshida never looked in any kind of trouble. His body frame and power were too much for the Georgian who just folded in the battle.

Yoshida managed to score from various position and used the underhook to perfection to earn his first world title.

One of the most dominant wrestlers in this tournament, Arsen BALAIAN (UWW), capped off his incredible run with a 10-0 victory over Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ), 17-14

BRONZE: Akito MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Tolga OZBEK (TUR) df. Erdal GALIP (BUL), 11-1

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Aykhan ABDULLAZADA (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN), 7-5

86kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), 13-2
BRONZE: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-5

97kg
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 7-1
BRONZE: Soslan DZHAGAEV (UWW) df. David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 4-2